Search - The Dutch Masters - Rembrandt on DVD

A Little Dry

Carol Jones | USA | 01/04/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"While this was an informative DVD I found it a little dry. I like to show DVDs to my art history class, and this one did not capture their imagination as much as I would have liked. A few two many talking heads."

The Dutch Artist

Jeffery Mingo | Homewood, IL USA | 10/28/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I learned a lot. Rembrandt was his given name, not his family name. Thus, he was like Napoleon or Madonna. He was famous from the start, unlike the many artists who are not celebrated until they are long dead. Like Thomas Jefferson, MC Hammer, and Josephine Baker, he went bankrupt. That didn't involve art dealers exploiting him; he just lived beyond his means and had to pay for it. The artist outlived his family and those who have lost children or spouses may relate to his tragedy.

This work interviewed men and women; English and Dutch. I heard that the Netherlands pushes their citizens to learn foreign languages, so I should be surprised about their English fluency.

Sometimes the work leaves things out that I would have added. The piece says Rembrandt sold many etchings. They never mention how his etchings looked a lot like the drawings Da Vinci would produce. The narrator said, "Rembrandt was celebrated for painting groups, not just individuals." They then show a painting where a doctor is dissecting the arm of a corpse in front of other physicians,. Some of the physicians are staring at the arm in question, but others are staring at the painter or looking in random directions. I would think they'd all be staring at the same thing, so the painting looked unnatural, rather than extraordinary to me.

One interviewee is always filmed in profile. Was an academic as vain as George Michael and demanded to only be filmed "on his good side"? A British interviewee had THICK, black eyebrows though his cranial hair was gray and receding. Those must have been fake. Why did this expert want to look like Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe on their "Nightlife" cover?!

Again, I learned about the Dutch maestro. I think other viewers will benefit too."

Fine storytelling and commentary

M. Layser | Lancaster, Pa United States | 11/22/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The video does a fine job of giving a biography of Rembrandt. The analysis of his art is also admirable particularly the commentary by van Wetering. However, there really is nothing new here and it is primarily an introduction to the topic. If you are looking for something deeper you will need to search elsewhere."